Electrically-heated flatiron



July 7, 1925.

E. sTRANszKY ELECTRICALLY HEATED FLATIRON original Filed Dec.` a, 1921 2 sheets-Sheet l /////l rr/ Sramsz v ll-l/IIIIII/lllll Il /0 /9 'BY W.

ATTCRNEY W al July 7, 1925, 1,545,110

E. STRANSZKY ELECTRICALLY HEATED FLATIRON Original Filed Dec. 8. 1921 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 WITNIISIJ': ATTORNEY Patented Julv 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL STRANSZKY, OF WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB T FRANK B. BAE, JR., AND E. G. K. MEISTER, BOTH 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ELECTRICALLY-HEATED FLATIRON.

Application led December 8, 1921, Serial No. 520,970. Renewed August 1, 1923.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EMIL STRANszKY, a citizen of the United States, re'sidino at IVarren, in the county of WVari-en' and btate of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Heated Flatirons, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my said invention is the l0 provision in a flat iron of the type indicated of improved mea-ns for automatically regulating the heating of the base member of the iron with a view to averting scorching of materials being ironed.

Another object ,of the invention is the provision of a flat iron of improved general construction, designed more especially to render it feasible to renew impaired parts with facility so that loss of the entire iron is avoided. l

To the attainment o f the foregoing and other objects hereinafter developed the -invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification:-

Figure 1 is a view showing an iron constructed in accordance with! my invention ready for use.

Figure 2 is a to f plan View of the iron as it appears when t e cap shell is removed.

Figure 3 is a longitudinalvertical section taken in the plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

thermostat of my invention employed in the base member of the iron.

Figures 5 and 6 are longitudinal vertical sections of modifications hereinafter eX- plicitly referred to.

Figure 7 is a diagram of the electrical connection.

Similar numerals designate correspondin parts in Figures l to 4 and 7 to which re erence will first be made.

Among otherelements my novel flat iron comprises a cap shell 1 having an aperture 2 for the passage of an attaching screw 3, and also having a sleeve 4 for the passage of wires 26 and 28, designed to be appropriately connected, with a source of electric energy. On the said cap shell 1 is a Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of the.

handle 6 which may be connected or engaged therewith in any appropriate manner.

In addition to the elements stated the iron comprises a base member 7 with an ironing surface 8, and a body member 9, the said base member 7 and the body member 9 being preferably of cast iron.

In the upper sidey of the base member .7 is a recess 10, and carried on the upper side of the base member 7 is a body 11x of appropriate dielectric material such as dielectric cement7 mica or the like in which is carried a resistance o1' heating element 12. Manifestly when the said heatino element 12 is impaired, the base member r7, the dielectric material 11x and the heating element 12 may beremoved as a unit and replaced with a fresh base member 7 bearing dielectric material 11x and a heating element 12.

An important feature of my invention resides in the thermostat or thermostatic switch best shown in Figure 4, and the arrangement of said switch relative to the base member 7 and the vheating surface thereof. The said thermostatic switch is located in the recess 10 of the base member 7 so as to be thoroughly amenable to the temperature of the said member 7. The thermostatic switch illustrated and which I have successfully used in actual practice is made up of a bar 11, a bar 12x spaced from the bar 11, a body of insulating material 13 interposed between and connected with the bars 11 and 12, a thin metallic strip 14 superimposed on t-he bar 11 and also connected with the body of insulation 13, a contact protuberance 15 at the underside of the free portion of the bar 12X, and a screw 16 adjustably connected with the free portion of the bar 11 and havin a. head adapted to engage the free end. of the thin strip 14 and cooperate therewith for a purpose hereinafter set forth. At this point I would have it understood that the bar 11 is composed of two metals 17 and 18 one of which is less amenable to the action of heat than the other, this in order to render the bar more prompt in action; also, that the lower member. 18 is transverselyl kerfed at its underside as indicated by 19 so that strain is taken off the connecting screw 20 incident to bending of the bar 11. The thin strip 14 is possessed of resiliency, and is normally arranged against the contact protuberance 15, it being understood in this connection that the bars 11 and 12x are interposed between and electrically connected with the heating element 12 and the source of electric energy. With this understanding, it

will be further understood that when the .base member 7 is heated to a predetermined extent, the heat of the said member 7 will have the effect of causing the free portion of the bar 11 to move away from the free portion of the bar 12* so that the head of the screw 16 will engage and draw the `strip 14 out of contact with the protuberance 15. In this way the supply of current .to the heating element 12 will be cut off until'the temperatureof the base member 7 is reduced to a predetermined extent when the bar 11 will be restored to its normal state, and incident to such restoration the strip 14 will be carried against the protuberance 15 and the supply of current to the heating ele-v ment 12 will be reestablished. From this it follows that my novel thermostatic switch will reliably maintain the temperature of Vthe base member 7 at a uniform degree so that the said member 7 during theuse of the iron will operate eiiiciently, and yet there will be no liability of the said member 7 being unduly heated so that the fabric beingironed will be scorched.

The thermostatic' switch is connected with the body member 9, and is removable' with the said body member 9 as a unit, it being understood in this connection that the body member 9 is detachably connected with the base member 7 through the medium of screws 21, although othervmeans may be em loyed for the detachable connection wit out affecting my claimed invention.

The terminal of the lower bar 11 of the described switch is designated by 22, and the terminal of the upper switch bar 12X is designated by 23. The said terminals 22 and 23 are extended upwardly through the body member 9.

With a view to reducing to a minimum arcing betweennthe contacts of the described thermostatic switch I provide a condenser 24 which per se maybe of any construction y compatible with the purpose of my invenwith one side of the source of energy, desig-l tion.

By particular reference to Figures 2, 3 and 7 it will be observed that the terminal 22 is electrically connected through wire 26 nated by 25, and that the terminal 23 is electrically 'connected by wire 27 with the heating element 12 which, in turn, is electricall connected by wire 28 with the opposite side of the source of energy; also, that the convdenser 24 is electrically coupled across the I Vthermostatic switch to accomplish the purpose before indicated. vIn the preferred embodiment of my invention the condenser 24 is superimposed on the forward portion of the body member 9 and is appropriately connected therewith..

In the modifications illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 the heating element 12 is embedded in dielectric cement 11x which is carried on and by the base member 7a, and the condenser 24a is arranged above and carried by the central portion of the body member 9a. It will also be observed that the thermostatic switches shown in Figures 5 and 6 lack the screw 16 before described. In lieu of the said screw 16 the bar 11a in each of 11a and 12a have terminals 22a and 23a ar-V ranged as shown relative to a body of insulation 13a, and that the said bars 11a and 12 are connected together though insulated from each other at 20a.

The thermostatic switch in Figure 6 has the bar l1b arranged above the bar 12b, and

the `insulation body 13b and the terminals y 22b and 23 are arranged as illustrated as is also the connecting means 20h. It will be understood, however, that the operation of each of the modifications in Figures 5 and 6 is generally similar to the operation ofthe embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3,

and that the, modiications'are possessed of all of the practical advantages hereinbefore ascribed to the embodiment in Figures 1 to 3.

In each of the constructions it will be noted that the heating element in its dielectric is separated from the space, in which is mounted the thermostatic switch, by a portion of the body of the iron. In Fig. 3 the separate fiange being integral with the body member 9, and in the form shownin Figs. 5 and- 6 is a separating ange', shown invention various changes and modiiications may be made such as fall within the scope of my invention as defined in my appended claims.

Having -described my invention, what II static switch carried by the body member and disposed in the said recess of the base member, and a condenser superimposed upon and carried by the body member and electrically coupled across the thermosttic switch.

2. In an electrically-heated Hat iron, the combination of a base member with an iron- -ing surface and alsotwith a recess in its upper side, a body member'detachably connected with and -separable from the base member, a heating element carried in dielectric material on the base member, a thermostatic switch carried by the body member and disposed in said recess of the base member and having bars and a thin strip between the bars and electrically connected with one of the same and also having on one of the bars means to engage said thin strip and break the contact between the same and the other bar, and a condenser carried by the bod member and electrically coupled across t e thermostatic switch.

B. In an electrically-heated fiat iron, the combination of a base member with an ironing surface and also with a recess in its upper side, a body member detachably connected with and separable from the base member, a heatin element carried in dielectric material on t e base member, a thermostatic switch carried by the body member and disposed in said recess of the base member and having bars and a thin stri between the bars and electrically connecte with one of the same and also having on one of the bars means to engage said thin strip and break the contact between the same and the other bar, and a condenser carried by the body member and electrically coupled across the thermostatic switch; one of the bars of the thermostatic switch being composed of metals one of which is less amenable to the action of heat than the other, and having in one of .the metallic portionsl a transverse kerf.

4. An electrically heated fiat iron comprising a plurality of body members, arranged to provide an interior space, a thermostatic switch in that space, a heating element in the nature of a resistance filament carried by one of the members, one of the members havin an integral portion interposed between t e space and the heating eiement.

5. In an electric fiat iron, the combination of a plurality of members forming the body and base of the iron, and arranged to rovide an interior space by recessed parti-ons therein, and a projecting flange on one of the members extending toward the other around said space, a thermostatic switch within said space and a heating element carried in'dielectric material around said space, said iiange member being interposed between the heating element and the thermostatic switch whereby said switch is subjected to radiation from the base of the iron but not to direct radiation of the heating element.

6. An electrically heated fiat iron com- I ture.

EMIL STRANSZKY.

In testimony whereof I aix my signa- 

